" Stubborn or Stupid?"

Why do we have coaches on a team? The answer: to show us our mistakes, and attempt to correct them. Everybody who has ever participated in a sport has heard some criticism from a coach or trainer. In boxing, your trainer can be invaluable; his experience can help to keep you from catching a beating by learning some simple fundamentals. Slipping a jab, bobbing your head, lateral movement, and cutting off the ring, can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Raw talent rarely can carry any athlete through a career. The White Sox had a player called Dick Allen. I once heard Harry Carey say, "Here comes Dick Allen, a million dollars worth of talent and ten cents worth of brains!" Dick didn't like to practice or take instruction.

If we refuse to learn from our mistakes our destiny is failure. If we do the same things over and over again, the results will always be the same.

The G-20 Conference just ended in Toronto. It was attended by the United States, Germany, France, Great Britain, Japan, Canada, Russia, Italy, China, India, Brazil and South Korea; plus several emerging nations. This group represents 85% of the world's economic output: a staggering number.

The near default of Greece is of great concern to these nations. The fruits of massive government spending have virtually destroyed the Greek economy. This near collapse has caused the Greek government to offer some of her nation up for auction in order to avoid complete economic destruction. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, is seeking to put some restraint on government spending and entitlements in order to avoid the crisis that Greece is now facing. Germany is now realizing the failure of socialist economic theory. Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Halper, is advocating "fiscal consolidation"; spending cuts and added taxes. Socialist Canada is now recognizing the failed path of government control. These sentiments have been echoed across the board from most of the world's leaders, except for one prominent voice. Barack Obama continues to advocate more spending and continued stimulus packages from the government. Mr. Obama fails to see the "handwriting on the wall", he refuses to admit continued spending and the pursuit of greater debt is a foolish policy destined for failure. He insists that the world maintain spending, even though there have been riots in France, Germany, and Greece over failed government programs and financial irresponsibility.

I'm afraid Mr. Obama is beyond learning from his mistakes. I don't know if it is arrogance or ideology, but, Mr. Obama seems willing to rush headlong into economic disaster rather than admit to the realization that he could be wrong. His fellow world leaders see the problem and wish to change course. Does Barack Obama have the ability to admit to error? Will the American economy collapse because Obama won't change?